Blind Man's Go
by ykilel
Summary: “No more excuses. No more self pity” insisted his grandfather, not unkindly, but sternly. “It’s just a 19x19 board. A miniature world. If you can conquer your fears here, the real world is nothing. Just focus.” Author's Note: I'M BACK!
1. Prologue

Blind Man's Go

**AU:** "Not buts. No more excuses. No more self pity" insisted his grandfather, not unkindly, but sternly. "It's just a 19x19 board. A miniature world. If you can conquer your fears here, the real world is nothing. Just focus." **Note: **This story was loosely inspired by an idea in "Blind Go" by Aishuu: Enjoy!

**Chapter 1:**

The last thing Hikaru remembered seeing was his grandfather's goban. The old man had painstakingly taken the time to teach his young grandson how to play. And though he had enjoyed the experience, it was not surprising when the 7 year old boy fell asleep before the goban. Eventually his mother picked him up and placed him on the passengers seat, still fast asleep.

The accident wasn't really all that bad. Neither car was totalled and, a few bruises aside, everyone escaped unharmed. Except Hikaru.

As the air bag exploded within the car, it became obvious that it was broken. The chemical burns from it left him blind.

The doctors said there was nothing they could do.

Nearly three weeks has passed and though the boy had been discharged from the hospital, it was clear he was anything but fine. He had barely spoken a word since that fateful day and gloomily stared off into space, far from his normal cheerful self.

"I'm really worried about Hikaru" he heard his mother tell his grandfather. They were whispering at a distance, but his hearing had vastly improved in the time since the accident. "This is all my fault... if I had put him in the backseat... if I had been more careful..." He clutched his legs tighter around his knees, burring his face in his knees, not wanting to hear more of his mother's pains.

"Give him time" his grandfather reassured her, and Hikaru wished he too could be reassured so easily. Since the accident, everything had change...he hadn't even been able to play with his friends. After all, how could he? Nothing was the same! Even Akari came to visit and simply burst into tears upon seeing him. Was there anything he could still do? He was so caught up in these thoughts, he barely heard the approaching footsteps until his grandfather already stood by his side.

"Hikaru, come, let's play a game of Go" said his grandfather only to see the kid's face scrunch up, about to cry. A week ago, had anyone told him his grandson, the bright and exuberant Hikaru, would cry over any little thing, he would have laughed himself silly. Now, he wondered what it would take to get his grandson back.

"Don't start that on me. Just because you're blind doesn't mean you're useless" his grandfather was a kind man, but he knew how to be forceful when necessary. It was clear Hikaru's mother wasn't strong enough to help the boy snap out of it. And given the remarkable absence of Hikaru's father, it became clear that the responsibility fell on the grandfather.

"But I can't see the grid and..." Hikaru felt a finger lightly tap him on his forehead.

"You are way too young to have answers for everything" laughed his grandfather, taking his hand and walking with him towards the goban. Hikaru struggled to wave his walking stick around, trying to get used to his new way of "seeing".

"You remember the rules, right?" he began, and his grandchild nodded fervently. "Well then, call out your moves. You can be black. I'll tell you mine as soon as I play it."

"But..."

"Not buts. No more excuses. No more self pity" insisted his grandfather, not unkindly, but sternly. "It's just a 19x19 board. A miniature world. If you can conquer your fears here, the real world is nothing. Just focus."

"A miniature world..." contemplated Hikaru, with a seriousness that seemed alien given his usual lighthearted self. For the first time in his life, Hikaru put aside his restless nature and focused. "Onegaisimasu"

The first game was nothing short of a slaughter. Hikaru had been keeping track of the game well enough even if he was by no means winning. That is, until his grandfather played a move outside of their ongoing battle in one of the corners. He had completely forgotten the pieces in the rest of the grid.

"That was a good game Hikaru" said his grandfather, and the boy could hear the old man smile. He too allowed himself the smallest of a grin.

"Hikaru, say goodbye to grandfather, it's time to leave" called out his mother. He could still hear the remnants of tears in her voice.

"Can I come play with grandfather again tomorrow?" he dared asked, wanting nothing more than some sense of normalcy. He couldn't play with his friends in the playground, he couldn't even make it to school for classes. But at least before the Go board, he could see. _All I need is to conquer this miniature world..._

"Yes, yes of course!" exclaimed his mother, happy to hear her son sound so normal. It was the first time he has expressed any desire to do anything since the accident, and she let out a sigh of relief. Perhaps it really was just a matter of time.

------------ That night, his grandfather did something he hadn't done in years. He prayed.

"Whatever Kamis are up there, you really screwed up" he lashed out bitterly. "My little boy did nothing to deserve this. Nothing!" He swore under his breath, before falling on his knees before the small shrine. "But I beg of you. If you have any ounce of decency in you, help him. I can only guide him so far..." He stood up and walked away, feeling defeated for the first time in years.

Elsewhere, the soul of Sai woke up from its slumber. _'Why am I awake?'_ he wondered, knowing he had already lived his second chance, and though he still longed for more Go, he knew he had gotten more than he deserved.

_'We gave your wish, Sai, now we have a request to ask of you' _

By the time Hikaru woke up, he knew he was no longer alone.

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**Author's Note:** Leave a review if you can. I have a lot written for this story, but I want to know if people are interested in reading before I continue.


	2. A Tough Opponent

**Author's Note:**

1- Thank you for all your lovely reviews: Jack of Trade, Ash of Mine, Talchy, Jikogu-KOuzanchou, abohorsen3, SeikaDragon, Orodruin, Rayvern, kaze-tsuki, hypergril15, beney, green.on.black, Tantei neko, jaz7, tispanther, baka-at-work, XTakaX27, and Donut Man!

2- Don't worry, Hikaru won't be emo. I would never do that to him.

3- Yes, he's starting to play Go earlier. And though this gives him more time to develop his skills, it also means he won't be meeting Akira till chapter 5,6 ish. Don't worry, I'll update often enough that you won't have to wait long. Besides, he has enough to keep him busy for now.

That said, read and enjoy (and if you can, review):

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**Chapter 2:**

_So kami sent you to teach me Go?,_ he asked, having heard the ghost's long explanation.

_Yup! _replied the ever-cheerful ghost. _I want to play, Hikaruuuuu._

_Stop your whining! _complained Hikaru, not at all sure of this new development. _It's bad enough that I can't see without adding a ghost in tow..._

I can't see!

Had it truly been an entire morning since he hadn't thought about his lack of vision? It seemed like it was the only thought on his mind, except for those blissful seconds before the Go board with his grandfather. There, his mind had been too occupied trying to 'see' the grid to bother complaining about much else.

And yet, for no other reason that the ghost's presence, he had all but forgotten about his handicap. The ghost was just as blind as he was, confined to his own mind, but the simple distraction had been enough to keep him from his recent sulking slump.

_Let's play a game. _he finally decided, excited at the prospect of having a friend constantly with him, one that would not judge him because of his handicap.

It made the darkness feel smaller.

Unfortunately, the game was even shorter than the one against his grandfather. To call it a slaughter would be an understatement.

_You should have played 16-4 instead, _explained Sai, ever-patient when it came to talking about Go.

_I lost track of where the pieces were! _yelled out Hikaru, not pleased at having the ghost best him so terribly and have his own shortcomings rubbed in his face.

_Here, let me show you _insisted Sai, and all at once Hikaru could 'see' the game, Sai having summoned up his own memory of the game record.

_If you could do that, why not just show me the board every step of the game? That way it's easier for me to play! _Hikaru mentally yelled at his companion, exasperated.

_Absolutely no_. said Sai, unusually serious. Hikaru would soon learn that his friend could change from playful to dead serious in a second. _If you cannot 'see' the game, then you cannot play it. You must learn this grid, understand what each line entails, otherwise you are doomed to loose the battle before it has even begun. I can't see for you in the real world, so I should hardly be allowed to help you see in Go._

_Fine, let's play again. _he decided, resigned that he would have to learn the hard way.

--------------

"Hikaru, wait here. I need to talk to your grandfather for a moment" began his mother, letting go of his hand and leaving him in what he thought was his grandfather's living room. He began ungracefully shoving his walking stick around, tripping on a nearby foot stool as he awkwardly made his way to the goban. It was a good things the sitting pillows were already laid out otherwise he would not have known which side of the goban to sit on. As he waited, he let his fingers trace the lines on the wood.

_It's a good feeling, isn't it? _asked Sai longingly, and Hikaru nodded. His thoughts were disrupted when he overheard his mother yelling at her grandfather.

"I just don't know what else to do!" Hikaru felt his fists clench up, all too aware that this was his fault. _Because I'm blind, mom now has to suffer._

_Don't be silly, Hikaru, _corrected Sai. _You just have to prove to her that this isn't the end. You are simply facing a very tough opponent. A true Go player relishes under such pressure. _It wasn't much comfort, but Go was the only thing Sai knew. It was the only thing he could give Hikaru.

"Hey gramps! Hurry up!" he yelled out, realizing Sai was right. He could hear them shuffle their way towards him and he had no doubt they were both surprised that he had made it to the goban on his own. Despite their reassurances, it seemed both of them kept forgetting that he could indeed do some things on his own. "I won't wait all day to beat you old man! I took it easy on you yesterday so hurry up!" Sai laughed at his cocky attitude, but stayed silent. _So this is the true Hikaru._

"Your gonna give me a heart attack saying things like that boy!" snapped his grandfather, though it was clear that there was a measure of relief in his voice. His grandson was back. "I'll show you to respect your elders."

"Oh, and mom. Can we go to that blind school later today? I really want to read some Go books, so I need to learn this braille thing soon." He could hear his mom crying softly. The last three times she had recommended they go to the Center for the Blind, Hikaru had yelled at her.

"Yes, of course" she managed, silently thanking kami. "I'll call right now to confirm that we'll go over this afternoon." Satisfied, Hikaru turned his full attention to the goban._ Here we go Sai_, he told his ghostly companion, calling out his first move with a big smile on his face.

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	3. The Basics

1. The obligatory disclaimer: I do not own Hikaru no Go. Life sucks/

2. Thank you all for your reviews! Please keep sending me feedback and I'll do my best to reply to all your questions via PM as soon as possible. Thanks to: allek-k, doseimotsuo, abhorsen3, ash of mine, vvish, -purple smile-, jack of trade, keelain, seikadragon, liar-just-a-liar, tantei neko, hypergirl15, miki23, otaku freak, blanca rosa, orodruin, lilyoftheval5, green.on.black, thehamsterinmymind, rianifitria, vuurvlieg, white ivy, otakuzen, superpervert, schermionie, whispering darkness, serenamoonrose, koliberek 85, tusbasa-angel, psychedelic sunshine, silver-white-tiger, and sofia dragon.

3. I got a few questions regarding whether Sai could see for Hikaru or not… hopefully this chapter makes his limitations a bit clearer. That said, two heads work better than one, so Sai will be able to help in many ways… just not with navigating blind.

4.Lastly, I did a few quick grammar edits on the first two chapters… English in not my first language and I don't have anyone beta reading these, so please be patient. Feel free to PM or review in any necessary corrections and I'll be sure to address them by the next update.

That said: ENJOY!

**Chapter 3:**

_Memorizing this sucks! _Hikaru complained to Sai, having heard the stupid teacher go over the Braille letter combinations once again. They had gone through the alphabet at least three times and he had failed to remember more than one or two letter.

_Think of them as Go stones, _offered Sai, slightly amused at his host's impatient nature. It was times like these that he was reminded that the boy was, in fact, only sever years old. G_ranted, a few of these would be rather week moves, but still. The letter A, the beginning, is but a single stone. B is a two stone vertical chain. C is a two stone horizontal chain. D is the beginnings of an eye... probably trying to capture some stone. E..._

_I get it!! _Hikaru all but yelled at his ghost. He hadn't quite realized just how Go-obsessed his companion truly was until times like these. To his surprise though, the next time the teacher ran through the alphabet with him, they really did resemble Go stones. Mumbling under his breath something about know-it-all ghosts, he 'saw' the grid before him and, one by one, started placing the letters onto the grid.

------------

"His progress is extraordinary!" the teacher told his mother. Hikaru allowed himself a cocky smirk, sitting up a bit straighter. They had been called into her office at the end of the day to discuss his performance. He was glad to hear that his effort had not gone completely unnoticed.

"At first, I'll admit I thought he might never get it." admitted the teacher. "Most students can memorize the first few letters with ease even if they struggle with the rest. Hikaru wasn't even getting a single one right despite three repetitions of the alphabet! And then, on the fourth round, he remembered all but one! I've never seen anything like it."

_Hear that __Sai? H_ikaru asked with a smugly. _First this reading thing, next I'll beat you at Go._

_Don't forget who taught you how to memorize those letters, _reminded Sai, though he was amused at his host. Though it was a slow process it was clear Hikaru was gaining confidence in himself, even with the disability. It was weird, this new feeling of feeling useful to someone for something other than Go. In two lives Sai had never known such a feeling.

Their thoughts were disrupted, however, at the sound of Hikaru's mom crying.

"I'm so happy" she finally managed between sobs, and Hikaru felt his heart sink at the sound of her voice. He couldn't remember a single time he'd heard his mother had cry before the accident. Now, it seemed, he always somehow managed to push her to tears.

"He never wanted to come," she continued. "He didn't want to learn. I was so afraid I was losing my little boy..." Hikaru felt her grab his hand and he squeezed back, hoping she would understand.

"He still has a long way to go, mam" the teacher explained. "But I feel it's safe to say that, if he progresses at the rate he showed today, he will be able to grow up to be a fine young boy indeed."

------------

They went back to the center every day for the next few weeks. Reading was easy enough, now that he could 'see' each letter on his grid. Learning to use his walking stick properly was another matter. Even Sai had no advice on this matter, other than to keep trying.

_Practice makes perfect! _The cheery ghost would say, with an amused smile Hikaru could almost see.

_Easy for you to say, _he;d snarl back, as he tripped on another item in the school's obstacle course.

-----------

"Hikaru! Come down here!" yelled his mother. Hikaru almost swore to himself, angry to be disrupted at such a crucial part of his game with Sai. Grabbing his walking stick, he all but ran down the stairs to see what the problem was.

"What is it mom?! I'm busy!!" He stopped himself, as he heard a gasp in the room that was not his mother's.

"Akari?" he asked, not sure who else it would be.

"Hikaru!!" she yelled, jumping onto his arms and all but knocking him off his feet. He awkwardly patted her on the back.

"I thought... I'm so glad to see you doing well!!" she finally managed once she let him go. He could feel her hands shaking as she did so.

"Yea well, it's good to see you too" he replied. "Well, you know what I mean" he added with an amused grin, waving a hand before his face to remind her that he was still blind. To her surprise, she found herself laughing with him. Even Sai allowed himself a small smile, amused at how quickly his friend was growing into himself. Though the boy acted tough, the ghost could feel how insecure he still was at the prospect of facing his friends from before the accident.

"I guess that means you're better now! Will you be coming back to school soon?" He shrugged his shoulders.

"Not sure actually" he began, not exactly sure how to discuss the topic. Even his mother had avoided the subject. "I've got the reading thing down well enough, but our school really doesn't have the fascilities for someone like me. I was considering just homeschooling myself or..."

"Absolutely not!!" both Akari and his mother yelled out simultaneously.

"I will not have my son becoming a hermit in his own room thinking of Go all day!!" argued his mother, who had once been grateful to Go but now was progressively becoming annoyed at how much time her son spent either playing against his grandfather or thinking about the game.

"Not to mention that I want you back in school. I miss you! What's class without our designated troublemaker?"

_Safer, _suggested Sai, only to be shushed by Hikaru.

"I..." he stopped, thinking it over. Granted, he missed his friends terribly, but he wasn't sure he could face school yet. Not until he was much more comfortable with his lack of sight.

"Not now..." he decided, clutching his walking stick harder. "As much as I might want to go back, I'd be more of a problem at this point than anything else. I think... I'll wait until middle school. Once I turn twelve, I'll enroll in a school that has the appropriate facilities. Plus hopefully by then I'll get used to all this, enough not to trip over my own two feet."

"I guess I don't have much of a choice then" Akari decided, defeated. "I can still visit, right?" He nodded fervently, wanting nothing more than to continue seeing his friend. It gave him some sense of normalcy.

"Next time I'll even teach you how to play Go. Promise!"

* * *

Author's Note: Not my favorite chapter (actually, of all I have written on this story, this is my least favorite portion. Still, it was necessary. Next two updates feature Hikaru going out though, followed closely by drum roll please: Touya Akira! Stay tuned! 

Also, Hikaru doesn't have his trademark blond bangs at this point of the story. No, you can't convince me those are natural, and given that I have already written the scene on the bleached bangs, there really won't be any debate on this topic. Any other suggestions though, please add them in your reviews or PM me.

hugs


	4. Expansion

1.Firstly, thank you all for your reviews and support. I'm glad you are all enjoying the story. Thanks to: xtakax27, faeith, silver-white-tiger, starlight rose, whispering darkness, jogoku-kouzanchou, ash of mine, nubial sheep, jack of trade, donut man, taintei-neko, servant, wingsofeagle, abhorsen3, summercloud, kai3anime, tsubasa-angle, theravenquoth, queenskin

2.Quick edits: I went back to the last chapter to change two words which were sort of out of character for a seven year old (hindrance and metaphorically) and to fix some typoes. Nothing substantive though, so no need to reread.

3.Time goes by really quickly in this chapter, but hopefully it isn't too confusing. Just take each scene as a stand alone piece and pay attention to what clues they give you concerning his age. What does all this mean? It means my next update includes… you guessed it! Touya Akira! Life is good.

Enjoy!

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**Chapter 4**** a**

_Hikaru__! I want to play Go, _whined Sai and it took all of the boy's willpower not to simply give into the pleading ghost. It didn't help that his companion's mood changes were also giving him quite the headache.

_I can't __Sai, _he finally managed. _I promised mom that if I'm going to be homeschooled till middle school, that I'd do my studie__s__. I'll play you after I'm done figuring out this problem. _He was quickly learning that even though he was good at keeping up with mental Go, his mental math skills were not very impressive.

_I could just tell you the answer._ offered Sai, wanting to return to the Go grid.

_Ha!__ Whatever happened to your "you must face each opponent" __thing.__ Wouldn't help me __with__ Go but you'll help me with this? _Hikaru could feel his companion laughing.

_It was worth a __t__ry, _Sai finally conceded. A few minutes later, Hikaru gave up on the problem and began a game against Sai.

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"Hikaru! Your grandfather is here!" Hikaru rushed down the stairs as fast as he could while not tripping, glad to leave his work unfinished.

"Hey gramps" he said once he reached the bottom of the stairs. "Did you come to have me defeat you again?"

"You've just gotten lucky!!" insisted his grandfather, forever amazed at his grandson's progress, but not ready to concede defeat just yet. "Anyway, I have a gift for you"

"For me?" asked the boy, confused.

"Well, I've been trying to find a Go book in Braille for a while, but there really isn't much demand for the game among the blind." He was quickly learning that very few people had the mental abilities of his grandson to sustain good games while not being able to see the board. In slightly over a year, Hikaru's progress had been extraordinary. "Anyway, since I sort of dragged you into the game anyway, I worked out a way for you to read Go books." He took his grandson's hand and gave him a small voice recorder. He watched as the young boy examined the object with his hands.

"I recorded a Go book for you" he explained, only to watch the young boy's eyes shoot open. "You can hear it with the button with the small triangle. I'm sure you can feel it if you can feel all that dotted crap your mother claims is reading."

"Thank you grandfather" he finally managed, hugging his grandfather. There was so much he owed to his grandfather, more than he could ever repay. When he finally managed to compose himself, he added in typical Hikaru form: "Don't think this means I'll go easy on you."

------------

"It isn't fair!" complained Akari. "You can't see the goban and yet you still manage to win every time!" They had taken to play once a week but it was clear that the girl could not catch up with her friend. Not that he expected her to, he was just glad to see one of his old friends. Other than her, he had been remarkably reluctant to meet up with any of his elementary school buddies.

"You played better than last week" he added, meekly. "Though you still shouldn't have moved to 3-3... that move was way too aggressive."

"Aggressive?!?!" she indignantly yelled back. "You started the game with Tengen! How in kami's name am I supposed to know how to play a game that starts like that!!"

"I just wanted to try it, that's all" he explained, fairly sure he should have kept that particular experiment to a game between himself and Sai.

_I thought it was rather good._ commented Sai. _For someone never faced with that situation, she did hold her ground fairly well, especially in the upper right corner. _Hikaru proceeded to repeating the ghost's comments to the girl.

"You think so?!" she asked, smiling. It really didn't take much to cheer Akari up, or at least, not when the compliment came from Hikaru. "By the way Hikaru, I heard there's a Go convention next week. The main stage will have games between pros with others commenting on their moves. Want to come? You can hear the comments and I'll tell you any coordinates they don't mention."

_Watch pros play? _he wondered to himself. _Now there's an interesting idea._

_I want to go!!! _began Sai, and Hikaru had to clench his temple at the imminent headache.

_Alright already!_

"Sure" he said out loud, "I'll have to ask my mom... probably move some classes in the blind institute for some other time... but I think it should be fine."

His mother was so happy to hear he was going out with Akari that she even made him his favorite dinner, ramen. Unfortunately for him, naive as he was, he didn't catch on to exactly what she meant with "going out."

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QUICK NOTE: The chapter was supposed to end here, but I'm feeling rather generous (plus if I combine the two it means you guys get to see Touya Akira by the next chapter!! Woot woot). Anyway, treat it as a separate piece, I guess. Enjoy!

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**Chapter ****4 b**

"There's so many people here Hikaru!!" said Akari excitedly as they walked into the convention. Hikaru was having a hard time focusing on her with all the bustling around. He was glad to be wearing sunglasses... it made him a lot less suspicious looking than if everyone could see him walking around with his eyes closed. He was even forced to put his walking stick away, afraid to make someone trip given the amount of people there. Akari took him by the arm and led him...somewhere. "There are hundreds of people playing. Some are even our age!" He was surprised to hear that, having always thought of Go as an old man's game.

_I'm 24, I'll have you know, _added Sai defensively.

_You've also been around for over 1000 years, so that doesn't count_. He retorted.

"Akari, tell me one of the games" he asked, uncomfortable with having to depend on her so much. She picked a random pair of kids who were cleaning up their game.

"Mind if I look at your kifu?" she asked, and Hikaru wondered just what a kifu was.

_People record important games, _explained Sai. _While I was with __Torajirou__, some people would write down our games. Don't know how they work though. _

"Here Hikaru, here's a game" She then began reading him the kifu.

_Oh, coordinates! _he thought to himself. _That's simple enough to understand. _Immediately his mind summoned up a Go board and began placing the pieces as they were read.

"That was a terrible game" he finally stated, even though the players still stood within earshot. Before she could warn him, he continued: "White could easily have won if he had played at 15-4 and struck there. That would have killed black's right side easily enough. Too bad he resigned so early. Anyway, shall we head to the main event area?" With that, the kid who had won the game stomped off while the other stared at the kifu.

"Hikaru, you shouldn't comment about other people's games so casually" she began, only to have him shake his head.

"If they can't handle criticism, they shouldn't be playing", he explained, having been fully aware that the players had been within earshot. "White deserved to know how he could improve and black needed to know that he was way too cocky during that game. He intimidated his way to a win. And while that might have worked with that opponent, I would have crushed him. Now he knows." Akari stared at her friend, wondering when he had grown so much. However, her thoughts were pushed aside as he graced her with one of his trademark smiles, the sort that made all your worries go away.

"Shall we go?" he asked, and she nodded, leading him by the arm to the main event.

_You did well_. said Sai. _I'm not entirely sure I would have used the words you did... it wasn't a terrible game for ones so young. Still, you were right to deflate the black player's ego. That sort of behavior will only harm him in the future._

_Sai__, just in case I don't say it enough, _began Hikaru, his thoughts unusually serious. _Thank you. I can "see" Go. Others can stare at a __goban__ for days and never see what I see. Thank you. _Even if Hikaru couldn't see it, he knew Sai had a gentle smile on his face.

_My pleasure, __Hikaru_

-----------

"Ogata sensei plays 16-5. What an unexpected move!" said the commentator as he moved to place another large piece down on the oversized board.

"Game and set" declared Hikaru to Akari, stretching. _That was truly an amazing game. _he added to Sai.

"What do you mean? The game is still even!" asked Akari, her eyes wide with shock.

"6, 7 more moves tops and white will resign" insisted Hikaru, standing up. "I'm going to grab a drink. Any idea where the vending machines are?"

"I'll take you" she began, standing up.

"Don't worry. I'm not completely useless. I can trace my steps back. And I wouldn't want you to miss the rest of the game." he insisted. "Besides, things have calmed down a lot since the main event started. I should be able to use my walking stick now."

"Well, I saw the vending machines when we came in. They were against the wall on the right hand side of the main room, near the area where I read to you the kifu" Hikaru nodded, taking his stick out and walking away.

_Are you sure you'll be alright? _asked Sai, not feeling very comfortable with this idea.

_No, not at all actually. _He admitted, clutching his walking stick harder as he began to ever so slowly make his way. _But if I truly want to go to a normal middle school, I'm going to have to get used to this sort of experience. _He began slowly moving his way out of the room where the main event was held.

_So far so good, _he thought to himself, resting against the door frame leading into the main room.

_How about you go around the room, following the wall? _suggested Sai. _If we know the machines are against the wall, it's just a matter of going around. _Smiling, Hikaru nodded.

_We should play __Akari__ together at some point, __Sai. _decided Hikaru, smiling at his friend's solution. _I think together we can think of some amazing strategies together. _

--------

He nearly walked into the vending machines. He was so happy to have found them that he didn't stop to think how dumb he probably had looked walking around the entire room for an item that was closer to the door than he'd expected. Still, he pulled out his wallet and felt out the necessary coins.

_Oh __oh, _he thought as he realized his mistake. Though he could very well feel his way to the coin slot and the button options for the drinks, he had no way of knowing what the options on the buttons actually were.

_You could ask someone, _suggested Sai, though he knew how reluctant Hikaru could be about asking for help.

_Nah, I'll just have whatever pops up. _he decided, running his fingers through the buttons and eventually pushing one at random. Taking a sip from the can, he decided kami must truly care for him, for he had found his favorite drink.

Little did he know that the machine served his favorite drink exclusively.

_Now, back to the main event! _he decided, only to turn around and bump into someone.

"Be careful where you are going, young man" said the voice, and it took all of Hikaru's composure not to hit the man with his walking stick.

"Obviously I didn't _see_ you there" he explained, waving his hand in front of his face, embarrassed and annoyed that he had run into the man. He could almost feel the man become tense.

"Why would a blind boy be in a Go convention?" asked the man, and though Hikaru was inclined to be defensive, it was clear the man meant no harm in his question. For that matter, there was something oddly formal, gentle in the man's voice.

"Would anyone be in a Go convention for anything other than Go?" he replied back, a little annoyed at having to explain himself. More than anything, he wanted to return to Akari, feeling uncomfortable being faced with a stranger.

"Blind Go, huh?" said the man, obviously intrigued and not in the least bit dissuaded by Hikaru's irreverent tone. "What did you think of the main event? I imagine given the commentator you could easily follow the game... and yet if you are here you left before the game ended."

"The game ended when black put down 16-5. The rest was simply a matter of giving white the time to resign." He could hear Sai warning him not to be too cocky, but Hikaru was always headstrong about this sort of thing.

"That certainly shows much skill. Would you honor me with a game?" asked the man, and Hikaru felt himself go stiff. _Did I__ hear corre__ctly? Someone wants to play me_

_Are you alright __Hikaru? _asked Sai, trying to understand all the emotions going through his host.

_Someone is taking me seriously __Sai. _explained the boy, feeling his hands shake with anticipation. _He sees the Go player in me, not just some blind boy. _

"Yes, absolutely" he finally managed with a smile. The man led him by the arm to a table, ignoring the whispers of those who were gathering around them, and sat across from the boy.

"I'll put down the stones as you call them" he explained. "And will tell you what moves I make. Will that work for you?" Hikaru nodded.

"Onegaisimasu"

Hikary loss the game. The entire time, it felt as though he was playing against Sai.

"Hehe, I guess I couldn't recuperate after you eluded my trap." he managed, his hands still shaking. It had been an exhilarating game. "Thank you for your time." He began to stand up when the man held his wrist.

"What is your name boy?" he asked. "You can't be more than 9 years old and yet you have the skill of one who has played for years."

"I'm Shindou Hikaru" he said, bowing slightly. "I started playing when I lost my sight two years ago. I guess I play often enough. Against my friends and my family. Clearly wasn't enough. I felt like I was fighting a losing battle the entire time. Still, I would hope to play you again someday. What's your name?"

"I'm Touya Koyo" said the man, and to his surprise the boy did not look startled.

"Well then, Touya-san. I hope we can play again. Do you come to these conventions often?" To Hikaru's surprise, the man laughed.

"You certainly are a surprising lad. I expect great things from someone of your talent. I look forward to your pro debut. Till then" Hikaru tried to stop the man but it was clear he had already left. For the first time since they had started their game, he paid attention to the whispering crowd around him.

"That kid played against Touya Meiji?"

"But he's blind!!"

"Just a charity case, right?"

"But he said something about a pro debut. Could the kid be an insei?"

"I wish they hadn't both played blind Go... I really can't tell how well he played."

It was only then that Hikaru realized what was missing. During their entire game, he'd never heard the man put down a single stone.


	5. A Fateful Encounter

**1. **Thank you all for your reviews and support. I'm a bit skeptical about the story at times so I'm glad to see someone's enjoying it. Thanks to Jeniam, Donut Man, Seikadragon, Silver-White-Tiger, PsychoSage, Orodruin, Ash of Mine, Whispering Darkness, oOYukiko Oo, VVish, wingsofeagle, Key Shinigami, Superpervert, Uchiha Akane, Beney, Rayar, Jack of Trade, Sir Gawain of Camelot, lilyoftheval5, Tsubasa-Angel (whose name is easly typoed, I've discovered sorry!), Random Irony, Ore no Naruto, anime-earth, japanesenut, Aki no Yume1, Astrido, and Jesena.

**2.** I went back and added a sentence in the last chapter to have Touya feel a little more in character. Just a bit though. Not even a changed line of dialogue, so no need to go back.

**3. **I'm having some issues with the next chapter, in that I'm second guessing myself as far as to how I want the rivalry between Hikaru and Akira to develop. Stay true to the series and keep them apart as they chase each other? Or have them be slightly closer, having them play each other like the do at the end of the series but now before either becomes a pro? If you do review, please leave your thoughts on this.

**Chapter 5**

"Hey Akari" said Hikaru as he heard her step into his room. It has been almost a week since the Go convention and he still couldn't stop thinking about his game with that mysterious man.

"I bought the latest Weekly Go. It has a review on the convention." Hikaru wondered what Weekly Go was, though he doubted it would matter. He had long since given up on ever finding any Go books in Braille. He depended entirely on his grandfather and Akari to hear about any games outside those he played with Sai. Especially Akari, who had taken it upon herself to learn about Go for the both of them, including about the convention in question.

"What does it say?" he asked impatiently, wanting to know more, if only to make Sai stop whining.

"Not much actually" she admitted, browsing over the article. "They commented on the main event, though apparently the reporter thinks it wasn't a very good match... he says Ogata sensei was too strong compared to his opponent."

"I could have told you that" said Hikaru haughtily. "Anything else?"

"Nah, just some kifu from the best of the younger kid's games, though nothing as good as the main event. Apparently Touya Meiji commented to the writer that he'd found at least one kid with the potential to be pro, though by these kifu you really can't tell. I might have even beaten a few of these." She stopped, as she saw that Hikaru's hands were shaking and his face was pale.

"Who is Touya Meiji?" he dared ask.

"Oh! That's right! You really don't keep up with Go news, do you?" she commented, forever surprised at how little her skilled friend really knew about the Go world. Then again, it wasn't as though he could just go out and buy a magazine on the topic, nor did Go shop up much on the televised news. "His name is Touya Koyo, the reigning Meiji. He's won three championships and is arguably the strongest pro ever. Well, at least the strongest in Japan. Are you alright Hikaru?" She paused, finally noticing her friends strange reaction to all this.

"Yes, perfectly" he decided, unnaturally serious. "I saw one of his games. It was... magnificent. Are there really that many good players in the Go world?"

"Well... they are pros for a reason!" she answered, as though it were the most obvious thing in the world. "I've read there are also a few good amateur tournaments if you're interesting in visiting some. Why?"

"Nothing" he said, his voice terse. "Let's just play some Go."

---------------

_You should __become__ a pro, __Hikaru! _tried Sai, for what seemed to be the 20th time that day. _Just think of all the great matches you could have!_

_Your turn, _reminded Hikaru, wanting to avert the topic. _Besides, why would I want to join the pro world? I still can't even beat you!_

_Nor will you, anytime soon. _retorted Sai, placing a piece that Hikaru knew meant the end of the road for him. Bowing his head, he resigned.

_Tell you what, _decided Hikaru, wanting to change the topic. _I'll take you to a Go Salon, the type __Akari__ is constantly rambling about. That should satisfy you, Go-__obsessed freak. But I will not __become a pro, so drop it._

With that, Hikaru ignored the whining ghost and, feeling his way over to his bed, went to sleep.

------------------

The next day the ghost was all too ready to remind his host of his promise to go to a Go Salon.

"Mom, could you check the to see if there are any Go Salons nearby?" asked Hikaru over breakfast, almost making his mom drop the pancakes.

"Oh sweetie" she began, with a tone of voice he had grown to recognized as the 'over-protective-mother' tone. "If you wait until I get back from work, I'll be sure to go take you there myself."

"I'll be fine, mom" he retorted, all too used to hearing this sort of thing from her. "I'll go, play a few games, and come back. I can just call a cab."

"Just promise you'll call me or your grandfather if you need us to come pick you up anywhere" she finally said, reluctant but resigned that she couldn't protect him forever. Not to mention that, knowing how restless Hikaru had been acting all morning, it wouldn't surprise him if he tried to go on, even without her permission. Looking through the phone directory, she ran over the list of Go Salons.

"There's one nearby. Two blocks down from here, actually. Apparently it belongs to a Touya Meiji..." His head shot up at the sound of that name. Yes, this would indeed be a fun trip.

--------------

_Are we there yet? _asked Sai, and Hikaru had to stop himself from hitting his forehead. He had decided to ignore his own advice of taking a cab and had dared to go out unaccompanied. After all, it was only two blocks away.

_Now, let'__s think. _He began, exasperated at his companion. _Does it look like I've walked two blocks? _For that matter, he hadn't even walked one. Though he had taken this same path countless times in the past to walk to school, the street was unfamiliar, dark, a maze of noises and feelings that threatened to overwhelm him. He shoved his walking stick around, finding reassurance in the item, despite the many times he had rather vocally cursed at it at the Center for the Blind.

On the bright side, taking it slow meant being extra aware of his surrounding, which at least meant that he was fairly sure he knew where he was. It was a challenge though. Two blocks meant two crossroads, and simple things like crossing the road were life and death situations if not done right. He had to feel his way to the end of the sidewalk, and wait to hear some sort of confirmation from the walk signal that it was safe to walk. It had taken him a while to hear the nuances between "go" and "stop" that the signal emitted, but he was rather pleased that hours of listening to them at the blind school had actually paid off.

_Not much longer __Sai__, I'm just getting used to all this. _He explained, and he felt the ghost nod. For someone with so much patience before a goban, Sai had very little patience for anything else.

A few minutes later, they reached the block where the building should be.

"Excuse me" he said, stopping a person that he heard walking near him. "Is there a Go Salon around here?"

"I was on my way there myself," said the polite voice of a young boy who sounded about his age. "Would you like me to take you there?" Hikaru nodded, glad to have found help. He continued to move his walking stick though, wanting to remember where the place was. He would not ask for help again.

"Welcome, Akira kun." said a voice he assumed belonged to the receptionist."I see you brought a friend with you."

"Actually, we just met." explained Hikaru, facing the voice of the lady, even though he could not see her. Akari had once complained that it was unnerving to speak to him when he didn't at least face her. "I was wondering what the standard fee for playing here was."

"He's my guest" insisted the voice of Akira. "Are you looking for someone in particular?"

"Nah, just wanted to check some of the Go Salons in the area... do you come here often?" he wondered what there was about the young man's voice that sounded so familiar.

"Every day" replied the unnaturally polite boy before timidly asking: "Do you... play Go?" Hikaru laughed at this, pocketing his walking stick.

"They don't call Blind-Go Blind-Go for nothing!" he replied with a smile. He could feel the younger boy tense up and moved quickly to reassure him. "Don't worry. I'm used to this sort of questions. Care for a game?"

"Sure" replied Akira, guiding him by the arm to a nearby table, still surprise to see a boy his age walk into a Go salon, much more so because the boy was blind. Besides, he was tired of playing with the usual customers at the salon. Despite his young age, there were few non pros who still posed a challenge. If nothing else, a game with this boy would prove a healthy change of pace.

"You're gonna have to put the pieces down for me, and call out your moves as you make them" explained Hikaru, taking the seat that was offered to him.

"Of course" replied Akira quickly, intrigued at the boy before him. He wondered how fair it would be to play against someone who couldn't see the board. "By the way, my name is Touya Akira. What's your name?"

"Shindou Hikaru" replied the blind boy, who looked somewhat amused at his introduction. "Are you by any chance related to Touya Koyo?"

"He's my father." Hikaru could hear the boy tense up at the question.

_Must be hard to live under such a shadow_, Sai noted wisely.

_No harder than to live under yours,_ retorted Hikaru.

"Well then, this game will be more fun than I expected" decided Hikaru, his face immediately turning serious. Akira wondered where that concentration had come from, having thought only moments before that the blind boy was too casual to be a true Go player.

"Onegaisimasu"

-------------------

In the end, Hikaru won by a single moku.

-------------------

Author's Note: I know, it's a bit cruel to leave it there. But I'll update soon enough, promise!!


	6. Aftermath

**Author's Note**: LONG BUT IMPORTANT NOTES! PLEASE READ:

1. **CLARIFICATION**: This chapter starts with a quick flashback to the game with Akira's thoughts on it. Hope that doesn't confuse anyone too much!

2. ANSWER TO **THE ROMANCE QUESTION**: So I've gotten mixed requests on the subject, some in favor of an Akira/Hikaru romance, others asking for a non romantic fic. As of now, I only have drafts up to the young lion's tournament and no obvious romance has developed. That does not mean it won't, but I'm not planning on it at this time. That said, characters rarely listen to me when I'm writing, so I am not responsible for anything they make me write (yes, they have a life of their own). And no, the issue will not be up for votes. If it comes up, it does, otherwise the story will go on.

3. ON "BLIND LINES" IN JAPAN: I discovered that, by law, all streets in Japan have yellow lines composed of various raised bumps that go through every sidewalk, crosswalk, and subway station to help the blind maneuver with the help of their walking stick and without a guide dog. Which makes my life infinitely easier. Figured I'd share.

4. Also, thanks to everyone for their input regarding the development of the Akira/Hikaru rivalry. It confirmed what I had originally wanted so I'm glad to put those doubts to rest.

5. I can't get back to the story until Monday (competition all weekend in Boston), so the next update will be a little later than usual (ie sometime middle/late next week). It will be a long update though! Promise!

6. Last but not least, thanks to everyone who has reviewed so far. Thanks to: jaz7, allek-k, zeynel, ash of mine, kai3anime, astrido, draconous, jack of trade, oO Yukiko Oo, whispering darkness, saitha, darkmoon fleur, abhorsen 3, seika dragon. white ivy, wingsofeagle, key shinigami, jajalang, -purple smile-, carol coates, superpervert, sofiadragon, theblacklister, tsubasa-angel, rayar, ore no naruto, battousaigrl, esa marie, brolly501, roxasisreal13, and japanese nut.

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**Chapter 6:**

Touya Akira had been raised around Go. His father taught him to love the stones and their endless meanings as they faced each other every night before the goban. Moreover, playing high dans on a daily basis had given him great insight into reading his opponents: how they placed the stones, the briefest hesitation in their eyes,… simple details that revealed worlds to him. All he had to do was play his hands right and wait until he read far enough into his opponent to see his victory.

Thirty hands into his game with Hikaru, he couldn't read the boy before him any better than when they had met outside the Go salon.

It wasn't as though the blind boy wasn't reacting to the game. Quite the contrary, actually. Unlike the ever composed Akira, Hikaru lived each move in his game. He would scrunch up his forehead in thought, push his troublesome bangs out of his face, wiggle his fingers next to the goban, as if trying to follow paths only he could see. And he would smile. With every move he called, no matter what the situation, he smiled.

He even smiled as he put down a very bad move. Yes, the mysterious blind boy had played a solid game, but he had now made a monumental mistake. And Akira always played Go seriously.

Three hands later. Four hands.

_How much longer till he resigns?_ Wondered Akira, knowing the boy had doomed himself from the moment he had placed that ill-fated move. It was a shame. For a moment he could have sworn he had seen a trace of the Hand of God in the boy, the potential to be his rival. Instead he had been disappointed. He looked up from the game, exasperated, only to see Hikaru… still smiling?

"13-12" called out Hikaru, his voice filled with excitement and an ever lingering undertone of his slightly cocky nature. And as Akira moved to put down the piece, he saw it. Just like that, the pattern jumped at him, black and white now both fully alive. The move he had disregarded as a mistake a few hands back had actually been nothing short of genius. He clenched his fists, determined not to be bested.

It was a shame Hikaru was blind. He missed Akira smile as he placed his next move.

------

In the end Hikaru won by one moku.

------

"Wow, that was a close one!" said Hikaru, stretching. "I'd like to say you're father's son, but that wasn't anything like your father." Akira frowned, clenching his fists around some Go stones. To have been bested in Go was bad enough. To have his father thrown in his face was unforgivable.

"I think that was even better!" Akira nearly dropped the Go pieces he had picked up. Hearing his opponent's reaction, Hikaru let out a heartfelt laugh. "No, no. Not like that. Your father could play against both of us at the same time and still beat us. Still, playing with him is like playing against a wall… doesn't need to push back to let me know it's there. Playing with you… I've never played anyone my age like this… it made me want to play more." He smiled, without a care in the world. Even Sai felt satisfied (though how long that would last was anybody's guess).

"When did you play my father?" demanded Akira boy, wanting to know how someone his age, blind no less, had defeated him in Go. He was two seconds away from losing all sense of composure and start yelling at the kid.

"Played him about a week ago. Quite the slaughter that was. What a tremendous Go presence. Still, he better hold on to his title. You and me, in time, we could take him down." Sai chastized him for his comment, reminding him that he was no closer to beating Touya Koyo than he was of beating Sai himself. And that was very far indeed.

"Are you gonna become a pro?" asked Akira, wanting to play the boy again and again. Akira couldn't remember a time when he had lost to anyone but his father and the higher dans. He couldn't remember the feeling of being challenged at his level… and he wondered how he had played Go without it. However, at his question, he saw the boy physically twitch.

"I never thought I would" admitted Hikaru. "I'm not entirely sure the Go world has a place for someone like me. My friend, Akari, has researched as much as she can and we haven't heard of any blind Go players. I love Go but..." He stopped, and it was clear that there was still something holding the boy back. "Besides, why would I need to go pro for? With games like these, I really can't ask for much more." Akira could hear the hesitancy in the boy's voice. Sai could feel his insecurity.

"Can we play again?" asked Akira, not wanting to loose such a good opponent. The feeling in that match… he needed to find it again.

"Can't" said Hikaru, also sad to let this opportunity go. "I really should head home soon. It took me longer to get here than I expected so mom will be getting worried soon. I'll come back though! I promise we will play again!" Akira felt himself grinning with anticipation.

"I will look forward to that game" said Akira reverently, bowing slightly even if his opponent couldn't see it. "So you better not keep me waiting". He helped his new friend to the door and said goodbye. He then returned to the goban, eager to replay the game over and over again. _This is it Father_, he thought to himself. _I have found my rival. _

-------------------

**Author's Note: **Once again, sorry for the short update, but prepping for the competition has kept me busy. I'll make up for it next time though!!

And because I'm a terrible human being, here's a preview of the first few sentences of the next chapter:

But a month passed and Akira didn't hear from the young boy. He went back to his father's Go salon every day, hoping his rival would return, only to leave disappointed. Had something happened?


	7. Decision to Follow

Sorry for the delay, but the competition this weekend really drained the life out of me (though it was amazingly fun!) and classes really haven't given me much of a break either. That said, here's the update, as promised. Originally it was split as three short updates but I joined them all up because you guys definitely deserve it after such a long break from writing.

Thank you sooo much for your reviews and support! Thanks to: soara, astride, brolly501, seikadragon, whispering darkness, orodruin, jack of trade, ennui demorte, honor, shizukesa-sama, saitha, thehamsterinmymind, allythealto, kagomegirl021, darkness molded, tsubasa-angel, deathgodgirl, joji le tuer, summer cloud, kuro-no-tenshi-shiori-chan, gumba2468, amiri (x2), digimist, anime-earth, firedraygon, hikarusai, vadenvern, and lyra the sorceress of scholars.

Also, I apologize for last week's cliffhanger preview. I kept hesitating as to whether I wanted to be a terrible human being and cause some massive accident, or simply have a more quotidian explanation to his disappearance. I wrote both versions, debated about it endlessly, and decided on this one. Hope no one hurts me too badly for it.

Enjoy!

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**Chapter 7a:**

--------

But a month passed and Akira didn't hear from the young boy. He went back to his father's Go salon every day, hoping his rival would return, only to leave disappointed. Had something happened? He fretted about it as he replayed his game every night. By now he knew he could defeat his rival, determined not to be caught off guard by Hikaru's unexpectedly creative plays. If only he had a chance to play him.

In his house, Hikaru too worried. His mother had been angry that he had returned home so late, that he hadn't called to tell her he was alright. And though she had been willing to drive him to the Go salon, under her supervision, he didn't want Akira to see him being dragged by his mother. There had been a connection in that game, one he couldn't explain. He had felt that the boy was destined to be his rival, and that their games would move closer to fabled Hand of God Sai spoke of. It was as if he had been searching for something in his Go and hadn't even known that he had been searching until that game. Even Sai, who was more powerful than the two of them combined, had felt it. But because it was his rival, he refused to seen as weak.

_You aren't concentrating on the game,_ warned Sai as he, once again, took advantage of a sloppy move by Hikaru. It was clear his host was not in the best of moods.

_I want to play him. _Said Hikaru, with a desire that Sai remembered from his early days at Go.

_You should go see him then, _tried Sai. _It is never a sign of weakness to pursue your goal, no matter what the means. I depended on Torajirou to play for me, as I now depend on you. Do you think less of me because of this? I did what I had to do to move closer to the Hand of God._

_No, _accepted Hikaru, though he was still unconvinced. _But you had no other choice. Go could not come to you in the spirit world no matter how much you longed for it, so you had to come here, even if it meant playing through others. _

_Wait, Hikaru, that's it! _Said Sai, and Hikaru could feel the ghost dancing in joy. _ If you can't go to him, make him come to you!! _ All of a sudden Hikaru stood up, smacking himself in the forehead. How could he not have seen it? Apparently Go prodigies tended to miss the obvious when it came to anything outside the goban. Calling Akari over, he began pacing his room counting the moments until everything would be fixed.

-----------

"Welcome" said the manager of the Go salon as Akari entered. "You must be new here. Our standard fee is 500 for a day, but you are welcome to look around first"

"Actually, I'm looking for Touya Akira" she managed, hoping her voice wasn't shaking too much. _This is for Hikaru,_ she reminded herself, no matter how nervous she felt at meeting the son of the legendary Meiji, a boy rumored to have inherited his father's talent.

"Fan girls at such an early age, huh?" said the manager, winking at the young girl knowingly. "Akira-kun! You have a visitor!" Akari tried not to blush.

"Can I help you?" asked Akira upon arriving, trying to figure out who the girl was. Despite his exceptional memory with games, he had a hard time remembering faces.

"I… ah… my name is Fujisaki Akari" she fumbled, unable to look him in the eye. How could Hikaru have played against such a presence? "You see, my friend really wants to play you. Claims you'd want to play him as well, though that blockhead does get carried away with his imagination sometimes. Anyway, the point is, he asked me to give you this. I wrote it for him, since he couldn't." She then handed him a small letter, bowed respectfully, and rushed out, blushing like mad. And she had thought Hikaru was cute!

Akira stared at the letter, trying to make some sense of what had just happened. He carefully tore the letter open, hoping it would hold some insight on the mysterious girl. To his surprise, inside was the address of one Shindou Hikaru. It took him two seconds after he read it to run back, get his coat, grab his bag, and leave the salon.

----------

"Hikaru, you have a visitor" yelled out his mom. She wondered how her son had become acquainted with such a refined boy as Akira-kun.

"You can tell Akari I won't play with her until she delivers my letter" he yelled back. "So get over it!" His mother frowned, shaking her head.

"If it's alright, I'll just go ahead and see him in his room" said Akira, amused at the situation.

"By all means"

---------

"I said..." began Hikaru as he heard his door open.

"Nice to see you again, Shindou" said Akira, taking his seat in front of a nearby goban.

"That was a lot faster than I imagined" conceded Hikaru with a satisfied smile, using his walking stick to make his way over to the board. "Sorry I haven't been able to make it back to the salon, but things here have been rather hectic."

"Shall we play a game?" said Akira, thrilled at having found his rival and unwilling to wait more.

"Onegaisimasu"

Half way through the game, Hikaru let out a snort.

"What exactly was that snort for?" said Akira, feeling his normal composure leave him.

"What exactly was that move for? Seriously, 6-7? Can't you think of a sloppier move?"

"It wasn't a sloppy move! You would have countered it and fallen for my trap"

"Oh yea, well if I had moved 8-7 instead, you would have been in quite a pickle"

"Not if I'd blocked left of it. Not to mention that, if you really want to talk about sloppy, what was that stupid move you made three turns ago"

"I was setting you up, and you clearly would have fallen for it!"

"Please, I wouldn't fall for such a rudimentary trap"

"Care to back your words with a game"

"Fine"

"Fine!"

The game was scrapped and another began. Hikaru's mother peeked in to see what the scandal was but, surprisingly, both boys were quiet once more, facing each other in front of the goban. She would soon learn to ignore their yelling altogether. It was simply their way of playing Go. They often ended games halfway through, breaking off into long winded discussions on the values of one move over the other. When they did finish a game, it was always a single moku difference one way or the other.

And as Sai watched them played, he smiled. _These two boys,_ he thought to himself, _they might just reach the Hand of God._

------

**Chapter 7b:**

------

"You're late" said Hikaru from across the goban, having waited 30 minutes for the usually impeccably sharp Akira to show up to his house. They were both 11 years old by now, but nothing had really changed. Hikaru continued to be homeschooled, only going out occasionally to accompany his mother, visit his grandfather, or to go with Akira to the salon. For the most part though, his rival visited every afternoon to play.

"I have the second to last game of the pro exams tomorrow and had to pick up an information packet at the Go institute" explained Akira, taking his seat before the goban.

"Already?" said Hikaru, having lost track of time. He was forever impressed that his rival was becoming a pro at age 11.

"I'm already a pro, technically speaking" explained Akira. "I have won all my games so far so it's more of a procedural matter to finish the rest of the games..."

"You better win" said Hikaru, his voice terse. It bothered him to see his rival grow while he still depended on Sai, Akari, and Akira to provide him with all his Go experience. "I won't forgive you if you lose a single pro exam match" Akira grinned in response. He could feel the undertones in his rival's voice... they came up every time they discussed his entry into the pro world. Unlike the previous times the topic had been brought up, Akira had an answer.

"This is for you" he finally said, handing over a large stack of papers, all in Braille, to his friend. "I had Pro Player's Handbook written in Braille for you. One of their stated policies is that they will accommodate for all handicaps. I spoke to my father about it and he's sure that they could easily arrange it so your pro exams and games are held in closed rooms so voicing your moves won't distract others." He stopped, taking a deep breath. "I also included the forms to become an insei. You can't try out until five months from now since they try to make sure it doesn't overlap with the pro examinations."

"I..." began Hikaru, trying to figure out what to say. It's true the idea of facing pros and playing Go for a living was immensely tempting, but could he really do it? Stand in the spotlight knowing people would be judging him based on his disability?

"Insei's require a sponsor. Most tend to already be students of some pro or another so it's relatively simple. That said, father said he would sponsor you, if you'd let him. So please, consider it" Akira bowed before his friend, even if the other could not see it. Then again, Hikaru could often sense things that surprised Akira, so he hoped his intent was heard. He could not, would not, allow his rival to lag behind.

"I... I'll think about it" said Hikaru finally, trying to make sense of all that had happened. He needed time to think things through. He knew his rival understood for soon they were playing a game of Go, and the topic of the pro Go world was left aside for another time.

A few weeks later, Akari came with her copy of Weekly Go, telling of the uproar in the Go world over the much awaited arrival of Touya Akira. Some were calling it the "New Wave" of Go and at that moment Hikaru knew his rival would surpass him.

_Can you be happy, Hikaru? Knowing you let him get away from you? _ asked Sai, who had long since been advocating that Hikaru join the Go world. After all, wasn't that why Sai was here in the first place? To make sure Hikaru wouldn't forget himself and all he could accomplish because of his disability?

"Please congratulate Touya-kun for me" said Akari. It was clear from her tone of voice that she was blushing.

"Wouldn't you want to tell him personally?" teased Hikaru, laughing as he felt her hit him in the arm playfully.

"Don't be jealous, Hikaru" she warned, and he shook his head with a smile. It was times like these when everything felt so natural that he wondered why he ever doubted if he could do things.

_Let's do this Sai_, he finally decided. He heard the ghost celebrate by his side and allowed himself a small smile. Now that this was settled, all that was left was to tell his mother.

--------------

"You want to what?!?" she yelled out after he explained his plan.

"Well, the insei exams will be held in a few months, so you don't have to worry about the application costs yet" he continued, ignoring her outcry. "I figured you should know though"

"Just one minute there Hikaru!" she finally managed. "Do you have any idea what you are doing?"

"Yea, I do" he said with a certainty and seriousness that surprised his mother. "I want to play professional Go, mom."

"What about school?" she finally managed, and he rose an eyebrow at the thought.

"I guess I'll have to stick to homeschool" he decided, surprised at how easy the idea seemed. Though for a long time he had been looking forward to rejoining Akari in class, nothing could compare to his desire to join the Go world. "Or maybe I could take some classes in school and do the rest at home. It's not as if I do that well at school anyway."

"But... do you realize what you are getting yourself into?" she asked again, this time placing her hands on his shoulders. "You might be getting in over your head! I just don't want you to get hurt" He shook his head.

"You have to let me try" he finally said, after a long pause. "If I fail the insei exam, I'll forget it. But let me try" she stared at her young boy and wondered, not for the first time, when he'd grown up.

"Very well," she conceded, only to have him hug her tightly and dance awkwardly with his walking stick in celebration. _Well, maybe not completely grown up..._

------------

**Chapter 7c:**

-------------

The months went by faster than expected. Akira still visited every chance he had, though his busy schedule kept him from visiting often. Even if he didn't have that many official games as a 1-day player (a term, he explained to Hikaru, used to denote skill rank), his name had made him one of the top request for tutoring matches. And, ever polite, Akira never refused a request.

During the time, he never asked Hikaru about his decision. And Hikaru had no inclination to tell him. After all, they were rivals. It was obvious that if Akira was dashing up in the Go World, Hikaru would have no choice but to follow.

Before his official entry into the world of insei's, however, there was one major development in Hikaru's life. He went to his weekly class at the Center for the Blind and was surprise when they announced a guess lecturer.

"This program is not for everyone" began the man. "After all, most people who can see cannot maneuver a computer using nothing more than a keyboard and a microphone. That said, this software allows those studious enough almost unhindered access to the internet. Check your email, look up information, read the news. We'll be setting up a small computer cluster with the necessary programs here at the center for those who are interested. But first, let's go over some of the basics."

_What's the internet?_ asked Sai, only to be hushed by Hikaru.

_Not entirely sure Sai. _Explained the young boy. _But I do remember Akari mentioning that people can play there if you have a computer. Imagine all the other people we could play against!_ _I could play against as many players as I like every night... just think about how much better I'll do as an insei! _ Feeling his ghostly companion's excitement, he added: _Not to mention that I could let you play every once in a while. _

_You mean that Hikaru? _Asked the ghost, not sure if he had heard correctly. Kami had already granted him two lives in which to strive for the Hand of God. Though never satisfied, he was content with his new life playing with Hikaru. But to be able to play more! It was a thought beyond his wildest dreams. More than he probably deserved.

_As soon as we figure out this computer stuff, the board is yours. _Decided Hikaru, thinking this would be a nice way to pay back Sai for all his help. Not to mention that he had never seen Sai play against anyone other than him, an experience which would surely be highly educational. Sai was, after all, an unparalleled skilled player.

_Let's do this, Hikaruuuu! _Yelled the ghost in his head, dancing up and down. For the first time, ghost and host placed all their focus on something other than Go. And what would probably be for the only time, their combined results were surprisingly limited.

_This is so hard! _ Complained Hikaru, having spent five hours in the center's computer cluster trying to figure it out. His ghostly companion was feeling just as disgruntled.

_I still don't get it. _Agreed Sai, also disappointed.

"I think you should call it a day, Shindou-kun" said the professor. "You've learned a lot for such a short time. A month or two with this kind of dedication, and you should have no problems using a computer."

"I don't have a month or two!!" snapped Hikaru, pushing his bangs aside in frustration. "I want to play Go online ..." Sai mirrored his thoughts, nodding in agreement. "Is there no way to skip ahead. I don't really need to write stuff on the computer or... what's that called again? Check my mail thing... I just want to play Go."

"Well..." said the man hesitating. "On principle, I don't let students take the easy way out. That said, your mother told me you were starting as an insei... I think your example will do much good to others with disabilities elsewhere. I could teach you how to play Net-go, since it is for a good cause..." Hikaru and Sai snapped to attention, nodding their heads in unison like puppies who had just been offered a treat.

"However, you have to promise that you'll keep you with the rest of the computer training studies. You don't have to do it all at once... but you have to finish the course sooner or later. Is that agreed?" As if Hikaru could have said no by this point.

Needless to say, two weeks later, Hikaru had convinced his way into owning a computer of his own, one that would guarantee many more weeks of playing Go against opponents across the globe. Of course, though he had been quick to learn how to get to the website on his own, log in, and clearly speak out his coordinates after the computer read out the opponent's moves, he had been significantly slower in learning how to reply to messages or send invites, neither of which were particularly important in his opinion. He would simply play against whomever challenged him.

_Shall we Sai?_ asked Hikaru, though he knew the answer all too well. The ghost had been anxiously awaiting his chance to play Go. Placing his fingers on the Braille imprinted keyboard, Hikaru slowly but carefully typed his new username:

S A I.

------------

Author's Note; WOOOOOHOOOOO! Take that! An 8 page update! Thanks to everyone who helped orient me with the computer information and send me links to the appropriate sites. The task was somewhat daunting and you guys made it all seem manageable. That said, I would never want to be forced to navigate online with only a keyboard and a microphone, so serious props to all those who do. You have my eternal admiration.

I'll update as soon as I can! Thanks for all the support!

Also, for those of you who were sick enough to look forward to something terrible happening to Hikaru (beyond losing his sight, which I still feel guilty about), you'll get some heavy chapters later on.

Coming up in the next chapter: Insei entrance exam!! Woot woot!


	8. Need to be Seen

Author's Note: Sorry about the HUGE delay updating, but I have my senior thesis due in a few days so I've been too busy juggling with poli-sci mumbo-jumbo to really dedicate much time to anything else. That said, I really needed a break from studies so I decided to update. I have not abandoned this story, nor do I have any intention of doing as much. So no worries, I'll update again as soon as possible.

Thanks for all your wonderful reviews and support. In particular thanks to: digiMist, KagomeGirl021, Orodruin, brolly501, SeikaDragon, gumba2468, Toraus, NineTsuki-chan, Whispering Darkness, lilyoftheval5, Rayar, Kai3anime, SanctumSyte, saitha, Novacain, Tsubasa-Angel, Sir Gawain of Camelot, HarbringerLady, Hisshou, Seraph of Tales, ViperineVampire, oldman543, A Brighter Dawn, Chubby-King-Chocobo, A Bibliophile, Arbitrary Doom, and TheFirstTime.

**Chapter 8a: **

The day of the examination, Akari helped him walk to the Go Institute. It was farther from anywhere he had walked before and had reluctantly conceded to wanting her company. He tried his best to remember the way though, determined never again to request for her help.

"Welcome, can I help you?" asked the lady at the counter, looking straight at Akari as the two of them entered. He didn't even have to see to know who was being addressed, and he was getting mighty tired of not being acknowledged. He was the blind one, not them! What was their excuse for not seeing him?

Akari hugged Hikaru good luck, helped him place his shoes in a nearby shoe cubicle, and skipped her way out. He took a deep breath before making his way over to the front desk with his walking stick. Once there he smiled at where he assumed the lady stood and placed his application information on the desk.

"I'm here for the insei examination" he began, trying his best to keep from fidgeting. His mother had insisted that he wear a nice suit, which was making him very uncomfortable. Not to mentioned that it clashed rather terribly with his dark sunglasses, or so Akari had joked. He put away his walking stick and waited. Even if he couldn't see her shocked face, he could hear how uncomfortable she felt by the sound of her fidgeting from one foot to the other.

"There must be some misunderstanding" she began, tripping over her words. "The insei exam seeks to find promising Go students under the age 18 and you... " She stopped, trying to figure out a tactful way of addressing his blindness.

"I'm under 18" he reassured her, not at all willing to let her off the hook. If he was going to be taken seriously in this business, he had to make sure he acted as though his handicap was never an issue. He graced her with the cockiest smirk he could manage. "And I assure you, talent is not a problem." He shushed Sai, who was reprimanding Hikaru for his tone, exasperated yet amused at his host's unflinching self-confidence. The more Hikaru's Go grew, the stronger the boy became.

"I see" she finally managed though she clearly did not approve of his tone of voice. He heard her pick up his application and skim through it. Akira had already filled in most of his details when he'd presented him with the application, including the small section on 'special needs'. All he'd had to do was sign the line where Akari had later pointed out. He waited as she read through the application, occasionally making typing noises which he assumed meant she was imputting his information on a computer. He was so distracted by the familiar noise he was caught of guard when it stopped and was replaced by an angry shrill.

"This is unacceptable" she began, her voice strained and angry. "Do you realize you are insulting the entire Go world by putting Touya Meiji's name as your sponsor? Did you think we wouldn't notice? The man didn't even sponsor his own son!!" That was news to Hikaru, who now began to wonder who had sponsored his rival. Unfortunately, his thoughts were disrupted by the lady who continued yelling.

"You're giving me a headache" he finally stated, which made her shush up. He took a moment to quiet Sai down, who also had been yelling in his head, insulted on his behalf at the lady's rude words.

"Is there a problem here?" interrupted another voice, one of an adult male. Hikaru struggled to remember where he'd heard the voice before.

"Ogata-sensei" said the lady, bowing to the man. "No problems at all. This little brat was playing a prank, that's all"

"I was not playing a prank" he yelled out, losing all composure. As mature as his suit might make him look, his outburst had just reaffirmed his usual loud self. "If I say Touya Koyo sponsored me, he did! Stop calling me a liar!" The lady was about to retort when Ogata interrupted.

"That's simple enough to solve" he decided, pulling out his cell phone. After a brief pause, Hikaru heard the man speak: "Touya-sensei. It's Ogata. There's a kid here who claims you sponsored him for the insei exam. Yea. Okay. Thanks" He hung up and looked up to examine the boy. The kid definitely looked smug, smiling from behind his sunglasses. What kind of a punk wears sunglasses indoors? _Still, there must be something special in this kid for sensei to sponsor him,_ he thought.

"Insei exams are on the second floor, Shindou Hikaru." he finally announced, which made the lady's jaw drop open. "Just take the elevator at the end of the hallway. There's a waiting room in the second floor. Stay there until your examiner asks for you". With that, he turned to the lady.

"Is there anything else I can help you with?" he asked, though he knew the lady would not be speaking for a while. He turned to leave but not before the boy spoke.

"Don't ever accuse me of insulting Go." said Hikaru, his voice cold as stone. "I will prove to you, and everyone else who doesn't think I can do it, that I will conquer the Go world. You can count on it" Ogata stared at the boy as he took out a small stick from his pocket which quickly extended to become a walking stick. _The kid is blind??_ Still staring in shock, Ogata watched as the young boy made his way over by the elevator, felt down the wall until he found the button, and took the lift up to the second floor.

"Do you think it's possible?" the lady finally managed, her voice barely above a whisper. Ogata even wondered if he'd been meant to hear it.

"Most pros can play blind Go" he began, fixing his glasses as he thought. "But to play blind Go against another pro, one who is allowed to see the board? In a true match? That I do not know. Still, if sensei believes in the kid, we better keep our eyes open. The Go World just got a whole lot more interesting."

--

Shindou's examiner, Shigeo Morishita, had been warned of his unique condition. He held in his hands three kifus, all from net-Go, which had been reprinted from Braille to normal type.

"Care to explain to me how you usually play?" asked the examiner, intrigued by the boy before him.

"Just call out your moves as you place them" explained Hikaru, sitting down before the goban, nearly swearing to himself as he hit his calf on the corner of the board. So much for being smooth. "You'll have to place down my stones as I call them out."

"Very well" began the examiner, wondering just how fair it would be for him, a 8-dan pro, to play against a boy who was forced to play blind Go. Still, he took his responsibility as an examiner seriously, and would play as strongly as needed to truly see if they kid had skill. The Go world was not a kind one, and the kid would have to learn that it was far from fair.

"Onegaisimasu"

**Chapter 8b: **

(Author's Note: I considered being a terrible human being and stopping here, but I kept writing so I might as well post it. Enjoy!).

Even as the pro began counting moku at the end of the game, Hikaru knew he had lost.

_I'm sorry Sai. I'm sorry Akira._ He thought to himself, clenching his fists. _I couldn't defeat him. Just three moku away. _He could feel his eyes watering.

"That was an amazing game" said the instructor as he finally looked up from the goban, staring up at the boy before him. "Needless to say, welcome to the insei program."

"Yea... what?" asked Hikaru, almost snapping to his feet at those words. "I lost! I couldn't defeat you! Why would I make insei? Just because I'm blind doesn't mean you can let me pass without winning!" He felt his fist clench at his sides in anger. He'd rather never play again than continue like this. To his surprise, the examiner laughed.

"I'm a 8-dan player" explained the man. "You're not supposed to win this match, just prove that you have skill. As is, I had to go all out during the last portion of the game to beat you and I scrapped by with a three moku win. I would have to be blind to let a player like you not become an insei!" Hikaru felt a weight lifted off from his shoulders.

"Classes start in a week" began the examiner. He stopped for a moment, examining the boy before him. The Go world was getting interesting indeed.

--

Had it not been for the walking stick, Hikaru would have wanted to skip his way back home. Unfortunately, having only gone to the institute once, he was forced to concentrate on his path rather than on the day's events. For that matter, even if he did know the way well, he doubted his 'seeing' skills were overall good enough to allow for skipping. Akari walked next to him, reminding him of the obstacles as they came so he could remember them for the future.

_I'm an insei, Sai!_ he told his companion, smiling as he did so. _Now we need to play even more so that I can become a pro as soon as possible!_

_But Hikaruuu,_ complained Sai. _Doesn't this mean you'll be busy with too other players to play me or let me play online?_

_You will always be my toughest opponent, _he reassured the ghost. _We will play every day, not matter how busy I am. Besides, I enjoy letting you play online. I feel like I learn more through that than anything else._

The kid stopped for a moment, forgetting for a moment his handicap as he took in a deep breath and let out a long sigh.

_I'm finally going to do it. _He thought. _Thank you Sai. _

**Chapter 8c**

Before starting out as an insei, Hikaru a favor he needed to ask.

"You want me to what?!" yelled Akari, staring at her friend as though he had completely lost his mind.

"Bleach my hair" insisted Hikaru, slightly amused at his friend's reaction. Usually he was the one yelling, not Akari.

"Whatever for?" she demanded, still not understanding. "Your hair looks fine as is, trust me"

"I want people to notice me" explained Hikaru, fidgeting as he said so."People try to avoid seeing me, just because I can't see them. I make people uncomfortable. Like that lady in the Go Institute. She spoke to you first, not me. So I want to make sure they notice me, whether they want to or not."

"I will not bleach your hair" she decided sternly. "Your mother will kill both of us." He stopped for a moment, thoughtful.

"How about just my bangs then?" he asked, fingering them as he said so. "Not as drastic as going fully blond, but noticeable enough right?" He could feel her hesitating. "Come on Akari. I would do it myself but I'll probably spill bleach all over the place... even if I could see I wouldn't trust myself with something like this. Please." It was rare to hear him ask for anything, much less with this much fervor.

"If your mother asks, you made me do it" she finally said, resigning herself to her fate. She had long since given up changing Hikaru's mind once it was made. Better she help before he got desperate and tried to bleach his hair by himself.

…Two hours later…

"Is it done? How does it look?" Hikaru ran his hands through his now bleached bangs, not for the first time wishing he could see himself. How much had he changed since he had last seen his reflection? At times he feared he would forget what he looked like.

"Well, you'll be memorable" decided Akari, teasing. At the panicked look on his face, she let out a small giggle. "It looks fine Hikaru. Shocking, but good.It suits you." He graced her with his trademark smile, one that had remained unchanged in the years since the accident. It was the sort of genuine smile that could win over a crowd and make you forget all he'd been through. And at the sight of it, she couldn't help think: _People really are blind if it takes bleach bangs for them to notice you, Hikaru._

--

Author's Note:

Hope you guys enjoyed it. Horray for Hikaru's bleached bangs!!

As you might have notice from some of the typoes you might have found in this chapter, I'm still on the look for a beta reader, preferably one who likes both Hikaru and Ouran (since I'm working on a new Ouran fic in my spare time… a slash-y T/K one though, so don't volunteer if you aren't interested). If anyone wants the job, leave a not in a review.

Also, while I know how this story will end, and almost everything leading up to the pro examinations themselves, the middle part is a bit iffy. Post suggestions if you can! Thanks!!

Finally, I undemocratically decided to add Morishita sensei as the examiner for the insei exam because it would simplify things for me later. I know, not canon, but neither are a lot of things at this point. Hopefully this didn't bother anyone too much.


	9. Back to school

**Author's Note:** I'M BACK!

First and foremost, I want to sincerely apologized to all of you who have been waiting for this update. The past year or so has been a long list of unfortunate events starting with the death of my computer, which was only matched by my brother LOSING MY EXTERNAL WITH MY BACKUPS. Forget about the 6 or 7 chapters I had written for this fic – I lost 95% of ALL my writings. Shortly after, some personal tragedies came up and I stopped writing altogether ("What seems to be the problem?" asked the psychologist. "I can't write anymore" – I wish I was kidding but that's a direct quote).

To make matters worst for this fic, as a few of you guys pointed out, there is such a thing as Braille Go. I too had stumbled across it a few chapters into my research, and decided to ignore it since it didn't really work with my story. But as more people pointed it out coupled with my growing writer's block, the more I started to consider calling the whole damn story quits.

Which leads me to my next point: THANK YOU. I won't list the names since if I add the reviews with the PMs it's quite a substantial bunch, but you guys are the main reason I'm back. I hate this chapter, mind you, but the drafts for the next two are looking good, so I'll hopefully be updating with better chapters soon. All recommendations are welcomed given that I'm rewriting the whole damn thing.

Oh! And I also posted chapter 1 of a new fic, so please be sure to check it out.

Enjoy!!

**Chapter 9a:**

Hikaru barely left his room the week before the beginning of the insei classes. Only the top students in the class were allowed to participated in the pro examinations, as Touya has pointedly explained, and it would take a very consistent streak of wins for an unknown new insei to make it on his first try. And for Hikaru, waiting for another year was simply not an option. He diligently played against Sai at every possible opportunity during that week, taking breaks by letting the ever-eager ghost play online. He tried his best to learn as much as he could from the lifetimes of experience of his companion. With every humbling defeat, he was reminded just how powerful Sai truly was.

"Hikaru, Akari is here!" yelled out his mom and he swore under his breath. Insei classes started tomorrow and he didn't want any distractions keeping him from playing Sai.

_Play Akari._ Suggested Sai, smiling wisely. _Playing against me all the time will only make you frustrated. I'm sure she'll help you relax. Besides, playing teaching games can be as challenging as real matches. _By now, Hikaru knew better than to contradict Sai when it came to Go, and reluctantly complied.

"Am I interrupting?" asked Akari as she stepped into the room. He could hear her fidgeting. Feeling guilty for his previous thoughts, he moved to reassure her with a smile.

"Let's play a game Akari. You can put down as many stones as you like" He heard her snort and announce her 6 stones. _Not good enough_, he quickly decided, summoning up his mental goban and beginning the game. He felt the knots in his shoulders loosen at the familiar sound of stones against the wooden goban. With his daily mental and online Go with Sai, the board was rarely used, but the history behind the piece and the resounding power behind each _clack_ made him relax. It seemed Sai found the sound all too nostalgic as Hikaru felt an overwhelming wave of emotion distract him from the game.

_This is the sound that crafts the Hand of Go_, _and it holds the memories of the generations that have lived and died in its search. My lifetime, Torajirou's, and now yours, _Sai whispered, thanking kami again for giving him this third chance at life. And perhaps for the first time since he'd returned, he wondered how long it would last.

---

**Chapter 9b:**

His mother insisted on taking him to his first day of insei classes. It was as close as he'd gotten to going to a real school since the accident, and the part of her who'd longed to drop him off at middle school was compensating by dropping him off at the Go Institute.

"Now you listen here, Hikaru" she began. Despite his disability, he knew she was waving her finger at him. She always did wave it when she nagged and, as Akari had confirmed a week ago, she kept the habit even if he couldn't see it. "Be careful in there. Don't let any of the kids bully you. Don't be overconfident either, use your walking stick. And please, call me if you need anything. You did bring your cell phone right? And your lunch money?"

"Yes mom" he said, slightly amused at her fretting. It was his first day, not hers!

_All parents are like that, _explained Sai. _My uncle kept checking over my robes the first time I went to teach the emperor. _

_Sai, I hardly think going to an insei class is anywhere near meeting the emperor, _argued Hikaru, grinning slightly at his somewhat archaic friend.

_Nervous? _Asked Sai, wondering why his own ghostly limbs were shaking.

_Nah, I have good company, remember. _replied Hikaru, and the ghost felt his worries leave him. 'This boy is strong' Sai reminded himself. 'He will make a fine go player'

"Settle down everyone," said a voice Hikaru assumed belonged to the insei professor. All the new students had been forced to wait around the lobby until they were called up. From the voices Hikaru could gather, there were no more than 5 to 7 new students.

"It is my honor to welcome you to the insei program. We apologize for the delay, but there are some special circumstances this year for which we needed to make some additional preparations" Hikaru felt himself wince at the accusation. The man continued: "While the last adjustments are being made, I will go ahead and give you a general rundown. Insei classes meet every afternoon, at 3pm sharp. Insei games are played on a 1 hour time slot, though you are encouraged to play on your own as well whenever possible. Following games, you are expected to discuss with your opponent on ways to improve as well as contribute to the discussions of your classmate's games. A group of volunteer pros and experts will be looking over your games and will lead the class in formal presentations once a week. For today, you will each warm up by playing three games against current students of different skill levels. Though you are all starting in the C league, the results of these games will influence your subsequent levels. Are there any questions?"

"When are the pro exams?" called out Hikaru, not wanting to beat around the bush. He heard a few gaps and chuckles at his question.

"There's no need to think about that just yet," said the professor, clearly amused. "There's no rush for any of you to make the pros just yet, not to mention that you still have a long journey within the insei classes before you are eligible to participate. Now, if there are no further questions..."

"So, when are the exams?" repeated Hikaru, becoming annoyed with the professor. "And what are the requirement to be eligible to participate? I though the point of being an insei was to take the exam"

"Not...quite" said the professor, his tone dry and clearly irritated. "Insei classes allow the gifted students to take the exam while promoting their developments as Go players. If you must know, the exam period begins four months from now, and though some new members have been able to rise in the ranks among inseis to enter the pro exam preliminaries, none have ranked high enough to skip this stage. Moreover, though you are all here because you are clearly talented, a truly gifted student possesses a degree of patience and humility which unfortunately is not measured in the insei examination" The insult couldn't have been any clearer. Hikaru allowed himself a snort, but chose to remain quiet. After all, he'd gotten his answer, and he really couldn't claim to be either patient or humble. Sai and Akira reminded him of this constantly.

"Now, if you will all join me upstairs, we will begin your games." Hikaru felt the small group shuffling forward and he hesitantly followed the sounds of the students, forcing himself to remember where the elevator was as he kept his walking stick closed.

_But your mother said..._, began Sai, disapprovingly.

_I'll take it out upstairs, _replied Hikaru. _There really is no need now and I'm more likely to cause someone to trip than to fall myself. _Fortunately, once out of the elevator upstairs, a male voice he could not identify called out his name, sparing him the awkward moment of having to ask the annoying professor where to go next.

"Shindou Hikaru" called the voice. Hikaru raised his hand in reply. "Ah, there you are. Your game will be held in a different room." The man placed his hand on his elbow and led him away, for which Hikaru was eternally grateful.

"I must say, your circumstances are rather extraordinary," said the voice "My name is Shinichiro Isumi. I'm an insei as well, from the A league. I was asked by the professors to help you while you got used to this system."

"Is the guy I'm playing any good?" he asked, beginning to summon up his mental goban as he prepared for the match before him. His guide laughed.

"I don't like being arrogant, but I'm good enough," replied Isumi with a smile. "And don't think I'll take it easy on you... this is my last year as an insei so I can't afford to lose." Hikaru felt himself smile, liking the easygoing nature of the boy instantly. Eventually the stopped and he heard Isumi slide a panel door open.

"This room is usually only used for private tutoring session, but no one uses it during insei classes so you'll probably come here often enough for your games. That said, you'll be expected to join in the main room for full sessions. Here, let me show you where your side of the goban is located." He edged Hikaru by the arm to the proper sitting area. Hikaru let his fingers feel the goban before him as he struggled to straighten himself if in the right direction.

"Now then. I will keep track of the kifu and place the stones for both of us" explained Isumi. "By regulations of the Go Institute which, by the way, had quite a headache dealing with your case, any move you voice will be decided as final. Similarly, any move I place even before voicing my moves counts as final. In official games should you become a pro, there will be someone in the room making sure I voice exactly what I placed. For now, you'll just have to take my word for it". Hikaru nodded, not at all concerned about any cheating by the boy before him.

"Games are also played with a timer," continued Isumi, causing Hikaru to raise an eyebrow. Though the rest of the rules were nothing more than business as usual, Hikaru had never played with a timer. "If you stretch your arm to the right, you should feel it." Hikaru obeyed and, small incident with the goban aside, he found it soon enough. "You need to click on the button closest to you at the end of each turn. For now it doesn't matter much given that I don't mind pressing it for you if you are having trouble, but in an official game you will be in charge of your own timer. They are always in the same location relatively speaking, so just try to find it before each game starts. The witness during official games will also warn you every twenty minutes into your game, as well as your opponent's current time at each interval. For now, I'll call them out."

"Have the rest of the students been warned about me?" Hikaru finally dared ask, worried that everyone had been forced to learning these special concessions for him.

"I'll be in charge of most of these details for all of your matches today" said Isumi. "I imagine eventually everyone will get acquainted with your unique playing style." The boy stopped for a moment, and then dropped his voice before adding: "If you ask me, I think they are treating today as a test run. You don't have to win today or anything, but they need to see you can keep up as an insei otherwise..." his voice trailed on, and Hikaru felt his fists clench. "I'll probably be your toughest challenge today since I'm in the A league. You'll go against Fuku from the B league next followed by Honda from the C league. So just pace yourself, take it easy, and do your best"

"Don't worry, I have no intention of losing" declared Hikaru boldly, which earned him an amused smile from his opponent and an amused reprimand from his ghostly companion.

"Onegaishimasu"


	10. Concentrate

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**: Still not pleased with my writing style now that I'm rewriting the story, but at least I'm updating. Thank you all for your supportive reviews. In particular, a special thanks to Falcon-Rider for, well, getting it. Anyway, make sure to check out my other Hikaru no Go story, Unforseen Circumstances. Oh! And for those of you who PM-ed asking, my other account is Serilia (good for 1 completed old Harry Potter story and 1 Ouran High School oneshot turned into an abandoned chapter story)

Again, thank you all for your reviews! I'll try to update sooner next time but I think a month wait was a lot better than the year plus I took last time. Enjoy!!

**Chapter 10**

Sai frowned as he focused on the game before him. It had taken longer than the allotted hour as Hikaru struggled with the timers. _Was that is?, _wondered Sai, noting the disconnect on some of his student's moves. It was hard to pin point it but, while Hikaru played a solid game, it was nowhere near the strength he truly possessed.

"Makemashita" said Hikaru, his voice filled with frustration. It had been a close game but Isumi's diligently meticulous pace during yose had granted him the win. Hikaru had lost by 2 moku and, as far as he was concerned, it was far more than he deserved given his sloppy middle game. The older boy smiled, clearly pleased with the games outcome.

"Shall we discuss the game?" asked the Isumi, impressed by the match. It was clear to him at least that in this case, blindness was no disability before the goban.

Hikaru disagreed. While the issues with the timer had caused him to break his focus at times, the real problem had been his opponent's unnervingly slow pace. While Akira was a known methodical player who took his time thinking his moves, Hikaru always found ways of irking his rival into speeding things up as their games devolved into their usual heated arguments. Isumi was slow to a fault, analyzing and overanalyzing each move, to the point that Hikaru had almost let his mental goban slide, something he hadn't done in years. He was aware of anything and everything except for the game before him, and at times began to doubt if he remembered the stone order correctly or if he was merely thinking of one of the many potential moves he'd envisioned during the painstakingly slow intervals.

"Aa... I know what I did wrong," said Hikaru, scratching the back of his head and grunting. He felt as though he'd let himself down, say nothing of Touya and Sai. "I've never had to play with such huge gaps between moves… it was a hard to concentrate, I guess"

"You played remarkably well for someone who wasn't at his best though" reassured Isumi, baffled at the statement. "If you normally play better than this, I think I'm in for some competition this year."

"Perhaps not better, but more consistently" decided Hikaru after a pause. "I shouldn't have connected in at 15-3 so early on in the game... I guess my impatience got the best of me. I also failed to pick up on your 7-8, which should have been an easy win except I was so bored I simply put down the move I had previously considered."

Sai nodded, proud to see his student has noticed his more egregious mistakes. Still, the situation gave him pause. He should have foreseen the complications of a longer game on one who relied solely on his memory to play. It had been years of training before Sai could sustain such exercises himself, and by then he was already accustomed to long games.

"Is the game done?" asked a new voice, young and lively, but one Hikaru couldn't place.

"Yuta Fukui, meet Shindou Hikaru" said Isumi, and Hikaru nodded in the direction of the voice. "If you thought my pace was difficult to keep up with, wait until you play with Fuku. He's our best speed go player."

"I don't get much practice with speed go either, but at least I don't have to deal with the concentration problem" conceded Hikaru, ready to take another run at it and try to make up for his previous defeat.

_New game, new opportunity, _began Sai, unused to seeing Hikaru be affected by a loss. _With time and practice, I'm sure you'll get used to all this._

_I don't have time, _snapped Hikaru impatiently. _Once Touya starts racing up the pro world, he'll slip out of my reach. I can't afford to lag behind where he can no longer see me._ Not waiting for a reply from the ghost, he summoned up his mental goban, knowing Sai wouldn't interrupt him once he'd mentally started a game.

"You ready?" said Fuku, cracking his knuckles in anticipation.

"Onegaishimasu"

-------

**Author's Note**: The original chapter ended here, but I figured you guys deserved better after all the wait. Enjoy!!

-------

While Isumi rarely minded keeping track of kifus during games, the task was distinctly more tolling when faced with the Prince of Speed Go. However, what surprised him was that, despite Fuku's quick-draw style of playing, the new insei was keeping up remarkably well. All of which meant poor Isumi was struggling to write down the coordinates, not bothering to spare a thought to actual game per se.

"Stop writing and pay attention," chastised Hikaru, who could hear the scrapping pen in the background. "I'll tell you the game coordinates once we're done. You sound like you are fighting a losing war with a piece of paper" Isumi would have laughed had he not been shocked to see Hikaru immediately call out another stone upon finishing his statement. For someone who had taken the time to notice his scribbling, he seemed entirely devoted to the game. Isumi put down his pen and started paying attention to the game, trying to figure out who held the advantage in such a strange shape. His answer came when Fuku bowed his head and announced his resignation. All in all, the game had taken each player less than 20 minutes to play, the greater part of the delays caused by Hikaru fumbling with the timer.

"Now that was entertaining!" said Hikaru with a smile.

_Isumi played a better game though_, thought Sai, still bothered by the odd vibes Hikaru was projecting. While the recent victory had eased some of his pupil's concerns, it was clear the Hikaru was still worked up about his loss.

"We still have time for another round if you want" added Fuku, ecstatic to have found someone who enjoyed his quick-draw style. "Bet ya I can beat you next round!" Again, Sai felt hesitation in Hikaru, though his voice didn't show it as he replied cockily: "You're on!"

Isumi stared back in awe. He would never let himself speed up when playing Fuku, knowing fully well that anything other than his meticulous pace would surely land in a defeat. To see a boy who was clearly not used to the style keep up and consistently out-think his opponent was impressive. Once again, Fuku resigned before reaching yose.

It was only then that Isumi remembered that he hadn't finished the kifu and swore to himself for not asking earlier. While most inseis could recreate their own games, it was rare to remember the stone order of the more instinct based speed go games, much less when stacked next to a more recent game.

"Where did you leave off?" asked Hikaru, and Isumi replied numbly. Almost instantly Hikaru re-summoned the game board and began calling out coordinates, still remembering the sound and look of each play as it went. Once he was done, he added: "Well then, shall we discuss the game?"

Isumi and Fuku stared at each other, wondering where this powerful player had come from.


	11. New Friends, New Challenges

**Author's Note:** HORRAY UPDATE! Firstly, thank you all so much for your reviews! I'm completely shocked and humbled by the support this story has received so far and I'm truly grateful for all of you who have taken the time to read my story (and doubly grateful for those who've reviewed!). Tragically, like always, I must again apologize for the delayed update. Since the last chapter, I've added to my work/school juggling act a bit of wedding planning (omg excited!), which is keeping me ridiculously busy. Still, with this post, I am also updating my other Hikaru no Go fic (Unforeseen Circumstances) and posting the first chapter (with a whopping 5,000+ word count) of an Ouran High School Host Club fic titled Profiles. (Slash warning on that one!)

Enjoy!

**Chapter 11:**

At the end of the day as all the insei wrapped up their games, they were led to the main study room. Hikaru could hear the same professor who had greeted him this morning yelling for everyone to settle down. Aspiring Go pros or not, a room full of young teens was undoubtedly somewhat unruly. Hikaru put his walking stick away and sat down by a wall, wanting to stay out of the way for everyone else.

"Quiet! Now, before you all stampede out of here, I just want to take a quick moment to formally welcome the new insei before the rest of their classmates. You all played well today, so congratulations." He stopped and made some shuffling noises, and Hikaru wondered what he was doing. "In this corner, as you all can see here, is the score book. Every game you play as an insei will be recorded to mark your progress with regards to your peers. Today's results were already added by your opponents. In the future, you may be called to record your results, so please get acquainted with the system" Hikaru snorted, knowing that was one part of insei life he would not have to worry about. Being blind wasn't entirely without perks.

"A few of you might soon be candidates to rise in rank within the insei class given today results. Please keep in mind though that, while you have performed well today, the journey towards becoming a pro is a long and often unforgiving one. Dismissed." Hikaru could help but smirk. From what Fuku had explained, beating the Prince of Speed Go had effectively sent him on a fast track pass to quickly rise in the insei class. His success had clearly annoyed the professor who hadn't expected the cocky kid who'd bothered him about the pro exams to perform well on his first day.

_ You shouldn't get too confident_, warned Sai playfully. _Let's see how confident you still are after we play tonight. And we're playing slowly from now on- make sure you build up your concentration._Before Hikaru could come up with a retort, he heard the voice of Isumi.

"Hey Waya, want to go through Touya Akira's new dan game?" he heard Isumi ask. At the mention of his rival's name, Hikaru's snapped to attention.

"Sure. Here, let's wait for everyone to clear out and we'll set up a goban in the back". Replied another voice.

"Wait, Isumi" said Hikaru, standing up quickly and moving towards the voices. Almost instantly he bumped into someone in front of him and, embarrassed, mumbled a quick excuse before continuing.

"Hey Shindou, let me introduce you to a friend of mine" said Isumi once he had reached them. It took all of Hikaru's willpower to stop blushing, still embarrassed over his trip. "This is Waya Yoshitaka. He's in the A group with me."

"So you're the blind kid who almost beat Isumi on his first day?" said Waya, who had about as little tact as Hikaru, a sure guarantee that the two would become fast friends.

"I still beat you most of the time Waya, so stop it, besides that was rude of you." retorted Isumi, trying to cover up his friend's outburst. Hikaru couldn't help but smile.

"Mind if I join you guys? Overheard you were gonna discuss Touya's game"

"The kifu arrived during the insei class so we haven't had much of a chance to look at it" explained Isumi. Hikaru tried to remember what Akari had been explaining on the new dan games.

_ The games were new pros play high level pros_, reminded Sai, _Really Hikaru, for having such a great memory for Go games, you can sure forget everything else. _

_Shush!... Wait! That game was today? Why didn't Akira tell me?_

_ Probably didn't want you to worry since it coincided with your insei class. _

Hikaru grumbled under his breath something about know-it-all-ghosts.

It took a few minutes for the room to clear out and for Isumi and Waya to set up a Go board. Hikaru fidgetted from foot to foot as he waited, annoyed that he didn't know enough of the room's layout to be of much help. Soon enough, all three sat by a goban, Waya setting up the stones as Isumi called out the moves in the kifu. Hikaru sat with his eyes closed, head bowed, as he tried to imagine his rival.

_Yea, that's Akira alright_. He concluded, feeling the power beneath the stones. He hadn't chosen his rival lightly.

_I think the older pro was intimidated by him. _ decided Sai, noting how Zama had become unforgivingly aggressive.

_So much for a friendly game of Go. _Agreed Hikaru, bitting his lip as he 'saw' and heard the moves as his rival faltered.

"They didn't even reach yose..." said Waya as he placed the final stone and stared at the go board before him. "I mean, Zama-sensei really went all out... but still... for Touya Akira to lose like this..."

"I wonder if he's alright" added Isumi. "I mean, was this really necessary? It's almost as if they were trying to shatter his confidence." After a long pause, Hikaru spoke.

"He's fine" said Hikaru, his voice strong, louder than he'd intended. His firsts were clenched and he struggle to hold back his anger. How dare that player try to break his rival. "It's gonna take more than some stupid old geezer to break Touya Akira's confidence. Besides, he knows the moment he takes a step back I'll catch up to him, so he won't let this affect him. That's why Zama played as he did... because he knew that Touya was gonna topple the Go world on itself."

"Touya Akira might be good, but I doubt he would intimidate someone like Zama-sensei. He's in a different league! And don't even try to equate yourself to him. Personally can't stand that bugger Touya at all, but he pass the Pro Examination undefeated, so I wouldn't take his skill lightly" retorted Waya, slightly scandalized at Hikaru's suggestion.

"Just look at the board." insisted Hikaru, wondering if perhaps they had a vision problem. "Touya was strong, bold in a way few new players would dare. And Zama fumbled... just look at the right corner. He wasn't expecting this sort of a challenge. It was only then that he started playing to kill." Hikaru paused, mentally moving the stones in his head while he absentmindedly brushed his bangs out of his face. "Too bad Touya missed that opening on 13-7. It would have been a doozie." He stood up, stretching a bit. "Anyway, anyone up for some ramen?" Just like that, the tension was broken, and Waya dragged Hikaru by the arm insisting on a sushi place next door. Only Isumi lagged, staring at the goban.

"13-7 opening, huh?" he said to himself. "I never would have seen it".

By the time Hikaru arrived home, Akira was already waiting before the Goban. Instantly, Hikaru sat before his rival, eager to play a game.

"Seems you scared that old geezer a little" he began, as he waited for his rival to nigiri for him.

"I lost" said Akira, and Hikaru could hear his hands trembling as he picked up the stones. "I had convinced myself that I could win... but then he went all out... and..."

"And I can beat you every other day as well" interrupted Hikaru cockily, pushing asides thoughts of his recent loss. Now was not the time for doubts - his rival needed him. "Your father can also beat ya, and so can most of the high dans. You scared that man not because of how you were playing today, but because of how he could see you will be playing in the future. Next time, that geezer won't be so lucky."

Not for the first time, Akira wished his rival wasn't blind if only so he could see him smiling in gratitude..

"Hurry up and catch up Shindou" he finally managed, placing his first stone down. It was only a matter of time before Shindou joined him in the pro world. And when he did, they would take the world down by storm.

**Author's Note:** Hope you guys enjoyed the chapter! I know I'm messing with the chronology in the canon, but heck, I made him blind so I should hardly care now about being faithful to the original. Anyway, again, thank you all and, if you can, please review!


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